Racking devices are used to assist an operator in racking a semi-automatic pistol. U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,306 to Azurin describes a pistol holster that cocks a pistol as it withdrawn from a holster. U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,065 to Musgrave describes a pistol charging socket that can be made integral with a holster or pouch. These racking devices, however, are not universally useful for a wide range of pistols, cannot easily be used by either left-handed and right-handed operators, and each device requires a withdrawing action to pull the pistol out of the holster or out of the socket. A need exists for a racking device that overcomes these limitations and that can be used to very quickly rack a pistol with a single hand and using a simple motion.